Christmas cheer will be spread by Britain’s favourite bear with Paddington set to star in Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) latest festive advert.

The advert’s airing comes at a difficult time for the retailer which is poised to release another set of grim figures when it reports for the half year on Wednesday.

Taking four months to create, the 90-second ad called Paddington and the Christmas Visitor, will see the animated movie version of the duffle-coat-wearing bear inadvertently save Christmas for his neighbours.

Mistaking a bearded burglar wearing a red coat and red stocking on his head for Santa, Paddington assists him in returning all of the pinched presents back to where they belong.

Scoffing the odd mince pie along the way, he innocently helps the thief embrace the true spirit of festive period and recognise the error of his ways.

M&S’s global brand and marketing director, Rob Weston, said they wanted an ad that appealed to the whole family and that was “fun” after a year packed with “lots of unsettling news”.

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“People are looking forward to escaping into the Christmas bubble, and our aim is to provide you with a story that is charming and leaves you feeling good at the end,” he said.

Describing the partnership, Mr Weston said the marmalade-loving bear from Peru is a “much-loved British icon”, adding: “There are few things more British than Paddington and M&S.”

The retail giant partnered with StudioCanal to bring to life this year’s offering ahead of the release of the latest film, Paddington 2 on November 10.

Created by Grey London, the ad features Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington, and also sees a cameo-appearance by veteran newsreader Angela Rippon.

Declining to comment on the cost of the ad, Mr Weston said it is “down on last year”, and described the release of retailers’ Christmas campaigns as “UK advertising’s Super Bowl time”, in which you “have to stand out from the crowd”.

M&S chief executive Steve Rowe is overseeing an overhaul of the group’s strategy that involves closing under-performing stores and cutting back on clothing while boosting its food arm.

Mr Rowe has also been rocked in recent weeks by the departure of Jo Jenkins, a senior member of its troubled clothing division, just weeks after she started a new role.